1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for supporting and carrying a portable table saw, particularly an apparatus that supports a table saw as well as the workpiece on the out-feed end of the table saw.
2. Description of Prior Art
It is desirable for anyone using a portable table saw to provide a safe and stable means of support from which to work, as well as the ease of mobility and convenience of portability. It is also desirable to quickly and easily set up and take down any apparatus employed to support the saw. This makes for convenience and efficiency for tradespeople as well as anyone else using the saw. Typically, users would carry the saw to the work place and then set up xe2x80x9con-the-flyxe2x80x9d utilizing what ever temporary means that can be mustered up quickly. Not only is this practice inconvenient, it is unsafe.
Several manufacturers have designed and marketed apparatuses for supporting and/or transporting the saw. The problems with most of these designs are that they are not very portable. Nor do they provide the stability required of a table saw. Also, none of them provide a means for out-feed work support. The out-feed is that portion of the workpiece that has been run through the table saw as it comes off the rear of the table. Long pieces of wood being cut on a table saw can become cumbersome and unsafe as it is pushed through the blade as the weight on the out-feed section is usually unsupported. This unsupported weight tends to create a condition of unbalance and may cause the entire apparatus to tip.
TROJAN Manufacturing of Portland, Oreg. offers two such saw stands. U.S. Pat. No. 5,778,953 to Lawrence D. Braddock (Jul. 14, 1999) refers to TROJAN""s RIPMASTER Table Saw Stand. This stand does have wheels for transports but it is not easily set up and taken down for transport. With the RIPMASTER, the operator must initiate several steps to put it together and take it apart each time it is to be used or put away. Once the RIPMASTER is set up, it lacks the stability required to push a large workpiece through, making it susceptible to tipping over. It also lacks the all important out-feed work support. Without a out-feed support, the long workpiece becomes heavy on the out-feed end and tends to make the apparatus unbalanced.
TROJAN Manufacturing also offers another saw stand specifically for DEWALT""s model DW-744 table saw. MS-2000X as seen in TOOL CRIB OF THE NORTH Catalog 904 (Jun. 1, 1999) refers to this new stand. It too, as does the RIPMASTER lacks the out-feed support. It does have wheels for transport, but the handle used for transport is low and some users may have to stoop uncomfortably to reach it, possibly causing undue back strain. Also, the legs must be taken off to take it down and put back on for set up. This makes it inconvenient for portability as it must be assembled each time it is set up and unassembled to take it down.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,955,941 to Tony Rousseau (Jul. 11, 1990) refers to a stand for portable table saws marketed by ROUSSEAU Company. This stand too, is cumbersome to set up and transport. It also lacks wheels for easy transportability. An optional out-feed support is available as an add-on device, but this add-on apparatus is cumbersome to attach each time of use and detracts from portability. It also adds expense to purchase the entire apparatus.
Both of TROJAN Manufacturing""s table saw stands as well as ROUSSEAU""s lacks the stability required for pushing a larger workpiece through the saw. Each of these designs require the workpiece to be pushed across the direction of the legs of the stand, or sideways. This is not as stable as a design such as the current invention in which the user pushes the workpiece directly against the support structures, or legs.
In a first aspect, the invention provides a collapsible stand for supporting a machining tool, comprising: a lateral support structure for holding the machining tool; a secondary support frame having a first end pivotally attached to a first end the lateral support structure; and a main support frame pivotally attached to the secondary support frame, wherein the main support frame comprises a handle at a first end for transporting the stand in its collapsed position, and wherein the handle comprises an out feed support for the machining tool when the stand is in its set up position.
In a second aspect, the invention provides a collapsible stand for supporting a tool, comprising: a lateral support structure for supporting the tool; and a main frame support having a handle for transporting the stand in a collapsed position, wherein the handle provides an out feed support for the tool in a set-up position.
In a further aspect, the invention provides an apparatus for carrying and supporting a portable bench top machining tool, said bench top machining tool having a predetermined means for fastening to a planar surface thereof, the apparatus comprising:
(a) a relatively rigid main support frame, said main support frame including two substantially parallel rails;
(b) a out-feed work support consisting of a member attached substantially perpendicular to and at first ends of said parallel rails of said main support frame for either or both purposes of supporting a long workpiece as it is passed through said portable bench top machining tool and as a handle for when said apparatus is being transported or otherwise handled;
(c) a secondary support frame for supporting said apparatus during use; said secondary support frame including two substantially parallel rails and a cross rail positioned substantially perpendicular to and near first ends of said parallel rails of said secondary support frame;
(d) a set of pivotal connections joining each said parallel rail of said secondary support frame at approximate mid points of each said parallel rail of said secondary support frame with each corresponding said parallel rail of said main support frame, at a point between the mid points and the second ends of said parallel rails of said main support frame;
(e) a platform including a planar surface for the purpose of fastening the bench top machining tool; first end of said platform being pivotally connected to second end of said parallel rails of said secondary support frame; and
(f) a means for removably affixing, demountably connecting, releasably latching or otherwise temporarily securing second end of said platform to said main support frame at a point such that said platform will rest relatively parallel to ground plane when said apparatus is set-up for use whereby the user shall be provided with a conveniently collapsible, stable and safe support structure to accommodate the machining tool.
Accordingly, several advantages of the invention are:
(i) Ease of operation. The current invention is collapsible and can be set up with a minimum of time and effort. There are no removable parts that must be assembled and unassembled between usage. Simply snap it together to collapse and unsnap to set up.
(ii) Mobility. The invention is easily transportable with a pair of large wheels that easily roll over the ground and even up steps.
(iii) Out-feed support. The invention incorporates a out-feed work support structure that supports the weight of a long workpiece. This feature eliminates the need for the user to bear down on the in-feed portion of the workpiece with his hands being close to the blade, in order to prevent the workpiece from falling. It also reduces the likeliness of the saw and stand tipping over from the weight of the out-feed workpiece.
(iv) Simple design. The invention utilizes a simple design which is economical to fabricate and easily used.
(v) Simplicity and convenience of use which makes using this saw stand more efficient and thus more profitable for professional trades people.
Still further objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the ensuing description and accompanying drawings.